Ryder Goes Home
by CartoonFiction56
Summary: After the Paw Patrol's most extreme rescue ever goes wrong, Ryder is forced to leave Adventure Bay. Will he stay away forever?
1. Chapter 1

It was a normal day for Ryder and the Paw Patrol. The team had just finished helping Farmer Yumi with her chores and where now relaxing in the warm summer sun. "How could this day get any better?" Ryder thought, before being interrupted by his pup pad.

Mayor Goodway's icon popped up. Ryder, expecting another Mayor Goodway fetch quest, was surprised when he saw her standing in front of a burning building, looking very worried. "Ryder! Mr. Porter's restaurant is on fire! We need you no-" Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a very worried looking Mr. Porter. "Mayor! Have you seen Alex anywhere?!" "No." The Mayor responded. Mr. Porter grabbed the Mayor's phone. "Ryder! Alex is still in the building!" He screamed, before fainting. "Get here now!" The Mayor said, and the pup pad went blank.

"Pups! We need to go!" Ryder jumped on his ATV, and the pups got in their vehicles. "Ryder, what's wrong?" Rocky asked as they started driving. "Pups, Mr. Porter's Restaurant is on fire, and Alex could still be inside." The pups all gasped. "We don't have time to get to the Lookout. Marshall, when we get there, I need you to use your water cannon and truck to put the fire out." "I'm fired up!" "Skye, I need you to put the fire out from above." "Let's take to the sky!" "Rubble, Rocky, and Zuma, do whatever you can to help them. Chase, I need you to come with me into the building to find Alex. Everybody got it?" They all offered their acknowledgment. "Good." He swiped at his pup pad and selected the blue icon. "Ryder? What is it?" Everest asked. She had obviously been napping. "There is a fire at Mr. Porter's place. We need you to help." "What?! On it, Ryder."

When they got there, the fire was bad and getting worse. Ryder approached the Mayor. "Have you found Alex yet?" "No!" "Don't worry, we'll find him." "Hurry, Ryder!" the Mayor said as he ran off. Ryder put a fire proof suit on and went toward the building. "Chase, c'mon!" "Coming, Sir!" They went inside.

"Alex? Alex?!" Ryder and Chase called as they descended into the flaming building. "I think I smell something!" Chase yelled. He ran off. Ryder followed. Sure enough, Chase led them directly to Alex. "Ryder! Chase! I was so scared!" he said when he spotted them. "Don't worry, we'll all get out safely." Ryder picked him up and started running towards the exit.

"Ryder, I see light!" Chase yelled. They were approaching the exit. But then, a flaming wooden beam fell right on Ryder.

He threw Alex as he fell. "Ryder!" Chase called. "I'll be fine! Just get Alex out!" So Chase led Alex out of the building. Ryder was feeling the worst pain he had felt in his life as he struggled to move the beam. Then, he realized that his mask had fallen off. His vision began to blur as smoke filled his lungs.

By now, the entire town had gathered outside the building. Everyone was relieved when they saw Chase and Alex emerge from the smoke. But Marshall knew something was wrong. "Chase! Where is Ryder?" he asked. "Ryder *cough* is stuck under *cough* a beam." "What?!" Marshall jumped down from his truck. "Rubble, use my truck's water cannon!" Marshall yelled as he and Chase went back inside.

They had little trouble finding him. "Ryder!" Marshall yelled. There was no response. "Ryder?!" Chase and Marshall found Ryder, unconscious, lying under the beam. "Marshall, push on three!" Chase ordered. "One. Two. Three!" They managed to get the beam off of him. "Help me drag him out." They brought him outside to Marshall's fire truck.

Marshall put on his medical pup pack. After quickly telling Zuma how to give Alex oxygen, Marshall turned his attention to Ryder. "He is still alive." He said to no one in particular. He turned to Chase. "I can't do anything for him here. He needs to get to a hospital." "But, the nearest hospital is 20 minutes away!" Chase answered. "I know…" Marshall looked to the ground for answers. Just then, Foggy Bottom's fire department arrived. "Too bad they don't have an ambulance." Thought Marshall. "We'll have to make the best of it." Marshall said as he converted his fire truck into an ambulance. "Chase, can you drive?" "Of course." Chase climbed into the driver's seat, while Marshall got into the back with Ryder. "All I have to do is keep him alive for 20 minutes" he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Chase pulled the ambulance past the crowd of people and onto the street. On his way out, he noticed a lot of news cameras around. Was this a major story?

Marshall didn't know what to do. He hadn't been trained to treat something this major. Before he could figure anything out, Ryder's pup pad rang.

Marshall decided to answer. He saw that it was Zuma. "Zuma?" "Dude, what's up? You just left." "Oh, sorry." Marshall responded. "Ryder is in big trouble. We are heading to Greensburg Hospital." Greensburg was one of the biggest towns around Adventure Bay and had the nearest hospital. "Oh. That's terrible. Should we come?" "No, just stay there and help. It's what Ryder would want." Marshall looked sadly at the ground. "C'mon dude, you make it sound like he's gonna die. It'll be okay." With that, the screen went blank. Marshall wasn't so sure it would be okay.

The 20 minute ride seemed like 20 hours. Marshall tried everything he could to keep Ryder breathing. Then, finally, they arrived in front of Greensburg Hospital. Chase and Marshall raced Ryder inside. They went up to the front desk. Marshall spoke up. "Hello?" The secretary couldn't see anyone but a boy on a stretcher. Then she stood up. "Oh my goodness! Talking dogs! Wait, I think I've heard of you before. Hmm… What was the name…" "The Paw Patrol?" Chase offered. "Yes, that's it! What is wrong with this boy?" "Ryder got crushed by a beam and inhaled too much smoke!" Marshall told her. "Oh my. He needs to get to the emergency room." The secretary called some nurses over. "Yes, he has lung poisoning and possible external injuries." She explained. They started to rush him away, but Marshall stopped them. "Can we come with?" The nurse thought for a moment. "Umm…. Fine. Just stay out of the way." The nurses went into a doorway and the pups followed.

"I'm sorry, this is where you two have to stay." A nurse said as they approached another set of doors. The pups obeyed.

One hour later, the rest of the pups arrived. "How long has he been in there?" Rubble asked. "About an hour." Chase answered. "Is he okay?" asked Everest. "We don't know yet."

Finally, after what seemed like hours, a doctor emerged from the doors. The pups almost tackled him as they asked questions. "Hey now, don't get too jumpy" The doctor said. "Is he okay?" Marshalled asked. He had been silent since the nurses took Ryder in the doors. "Well, we don't know yet. He is alive, if that's what you're asking." He saw how worried they all were. "You pups may want to go home. We'll call you if something happens." "But-" "There is no use staying here tonight. He'll be safe." So the pups went back to Adventure Bay.

None of them got much sleep. At 6:00 in the morning, Chase was up and pacing in the Lookout. Then, he got the call he had been waiting for.

At first, Marshall didn't give a second though when he heard "Paw Patrol, to the lookout!" for the millionth time. But then he realized that it was Chase's, not Ryder's, voice. They all went up, all the same.

"What is it, Chase?" Skye asked when they were all assembled. "Big news, guys. Ryder is awake."

**Thanks for the support! More coming soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

The pups got to the hospital in 15, not 20, minutes. This secretary was different from the one they met the day before. "Hello, we'd like to see Ryder." The secretary stood up and saw the pack of talking dogs. Except she, unlike the other one, hadn't heard of the Paw Patrol.

After fighting the urge to faint, she tried to force the pups out the front door. Luckily, most of the people there did know the Paw Patrol, since the pups occasionally did rescues in Greensburg. (And they were pretty famous.) So, after getting over the shock of the talking animals in her waiting room, the secretary did her job.

"You said Ryder, correct?" "Yes ma'am." Responded Chase. "Okay, Ryder who?" The pups looked at each other, puzzled. They had no idea what Ryder's last name was. "Um, you don't know his last name? I guess I can try searching based on first name." She tried this. She got nothing. "Are you sure Ryder is his real name? Does he have a full name? Is Ryder his nickname?"

Before the pups could give their assorted non-helpful answers that would only make the situation worse, Ryder's doctor walked by. "Ah, pups. Here to see Ryder?" "YES!" They all answered. "Come with me." He looked at the secretary. "They're with me, Mary."

The doctor led them to Ryder's room. "Did he just wake up?" asked Rocky. "No," the doctor responded, "he actually woke up at 4 o'clock, but we didn't want to disturb you. He did sleep from 5 until about half an hour ago." "Excuse me, but what is your name?" Rubble asked. "Oh, didn't I tell you?" "I don't think so." "Well, I'm Dr. Harrison." "It is a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Harrison."

"Okay, he is still recovering, so don't get him too hyper." The doctor let them in. "Ryder!" The pups all screamed as they ran in. A nurse had to stop them from jumping onto him. "Pups!" Ryder said weakly. The pups embraced him.

Ryder quickly asked the burning questions he had since he woke up. "Did you get Alex out? Is he okay?" "Yes, sir!" Chase responded. "What about the building?" Marshall answered this one. "Well, the building is pretty much destroyed. It was a big fire." "Well, the important thing is that everyone is safe." "Even you." "Yes, even me." They hugged again.

"Well," said Ryder, "the Paw Patrol can't stop serving Adventure Bay just because I'm gone. But the Paw Patrol can't work without a leader." "What are we going to do?" asked Skye. "Chase, come here." Chase obeyed. "What is it, sir?" "Chase, you have shown outstanding leadership and smarts during your time with the Paw Patrol, and it is because of these qualities that I name you official leader of the Paw Patrol in my absence." Chase was stunned. "Really, sir? I'm the leader of the Paw Patrol?" "For about the next week." "Yippee!" Chase jumped around the room. This was his dream come true. And even if it was only for a few days, he would make the most of it.

Dr. Harrison came into the room. "Alright pups, you should let Ryder get some more rest." Ryder gave Chase his pup pad, the key to his ATV, and a special collar. (In reality, it was just Chase's collar but with a regular Paw Patrol logo. But it was very special to Chase.) "Goodbye, pups." Ryder waved as they left. "Goodbye, Ryder!" This trip had refreshed the pups. They were now determined to help with the cleanup and serve Adventure Bay even better than they did without Ryder. They had no idea how much of a challenge that would be.

That night, after all the other pups had already gone to bed, Chase went and sat in the moonlight. The full moon was beautiful. "Can't sleep?" Chase quickly turned around. It was Skye. "Yeah, I'm too worried about Ryder and too excited about being leader." "Sure you're not nervous?" Chase smiled. And they sat in the moonlight for another half an hour, just enjoying the other's presence, and then they went to bed.

**Finally, some of that romance I promised. It isn't much, just a taste. Again, thanks for the support! Chapter 4 coming soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Chase woke up to his first mission as leader. "Why would someone call so early?" Chase thought. It was Mayor Goodway. Of course. "Hello, Chase here." "Oh, Chase. I almost forgot Ryder was in the hospital. Anyway, I'm moving my office to a new room and was wondering if the Paw Patrol could help?" Chase hesitated a moment. "Uh… Sure, Mayor." "Thank you! You pups are so helpful!" And the Mayor disappeared off the screen. _Why does Ryder put up with this stuff? _Chase thought_. We have much more important things to do than move an office! The Mayor is so clueless! Doesn't she think helping Mr. Porter with the cleanup is a little bit more important? Maybe the Paw Patrol should change their catchphrase to "No job is too small!" _

_Well, I can't stay mad forever. Ryder accepts every rescue request he gets, and I will do the same_. Chase called the pups. He assigned their jobs. They went on their way. Everything seemed to be going well.

When the pups arrived at City Hall, they saw two men moving a large new desk into the building. Chase approached the Mayor. "Hello, Mayor, what can we help with?" "Well, let's see. I need that desk moved into place, I need my office decorations packed up and moved, and I need the old and new office cleaned out." "And what will you be doing?" asked Chase in return. "Oh, I have to run some mayoral errands. I should be back around 3:30_." Boy, this is even worse than I thought_, thought Chase, _First, she calls them to move her office when there are obviously more important things to be doing, and when they get there she just gives them a list of things to do and goes on "mayoral errands"? Unbelievable! I'm beginning to wonder if Ryder really would have accepted this rescue._

The mayor didn't return from her "mayoral errands" until 4:12 in the afternoon. And, yes, Chase counted every second of it. The pups had done everything she had asked. Chase was about to ask if they were done with this task when the Mayor spoke. "Wow, this looks beautiful! Hey, do you pups think you could clean out some other rooms, too?" This got Chase angry. "Well, actually Mayor-" He was cut off again by the Mayor. "Great, thank you pups!" "No problem, Mayor." Chase said through gritted teeth.

The pups cleaned up everything she asked. Chase thought they were done, when the mayor asked the pups to do one more thing. "Could you guys wash my dishes?" _DISHES?! _Chase thought,_ She wants us to clean her dishes?! After everything we have done for her? What is wrong with that woman?! _

When Chase came out of his fury, the damage had already been done. A single table, laying on the ground, in a pile of broken bits of glass. "Chase! Why did you do that?" The Mayor asked. Chase couldn't hold back any longer. "Mayor, we had plans today. We were going to help Mr. Porter clean up the remains of his restaurant. But then you called, as if nothing happened two days ago, and asked us to come here. I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought it was what Ryder would have done."

"But it turned out to be a huge mistake. You have abused our helpfulness, you have gone too far. What kind of person tells other people to do her errands and then leaves? The Paw Patrol is not meant for this, we are supposed to be doing real rescues, in real emergencies!"

Now the Mayor was angry. "Chase, I didn't just _leave. _I had real errands to do." "Like what, Mayor, like what?" "I had a meeting in Greensburg. It went over the time limit." "That doesn't change the fact that you abused us, Mayor. You deliberately ab-" "Now, hold on just a second, Chase! When I invited the Paw Patrol into Adventure Bay, there was no agreement on what their tasks would be."

"Mayor, you're missing the point! You abused us when we could have done something good for the town! Isn't that what mayors should want?" "It's the only thing I want, Chase! I had no idea that you had plans today! You didn't have to come!" Chase was growling now. "Maybe we shouldn't have come."

"You know what, Chase, why don't you just take your team of pups and leave. Get out of my sight. You were obviously never fit for this job." "What did you say?" "I said, 'You were never fit for this job.'".

This brought Chase into another rage. _How could she say that?! I was always the best for the job! I've wanted it my entire life! That… that… Well, I don't know what she is, but it isn't good!_

Again, when Chase regained his senses, the damage had already been done. He was on top of the mayor, growling in her face. She had a very strange look. One of fear, pain, and anger. "Chase, what are you doing?!" Marshall exclaimed. The pups pulled Chase away. He looked at the Mayor, who was now getting up.

"Oh, Mayor, I don't- I wouldn't-" "Just leave, Chase." The Mayor barely said the words, but to Chase, they were the loudest words he had ever heard.

But there was nothing he could do now. The pups went back to the Lookout, none of them saying a word. Chase felt terrible.


	5. Chapter 5

Later that day, Skye was walking around when she heard something from Chase's pup house. "Chase, are you… crying?" Chase quickly turned around. "What?" He said nervously. "Of course not!"

But Chase had been crying. He had blew it. His one opportunity, gone. He had damaged his relationships and his reputation. After an outburst like this, there was no way Ryder would let him be leader.

Skye moved in closer. "Okay. Is there something wrong, then? I know I heard something coming from you pup house." "No, Skye, everything… everything… is- TERRIBLE!" To Skye's surprise, Chase turned and started sobbing into her shoulder. "I blew it! I hurt the Mayor and failed a mission! I proved I can't take the pressure of leadership. There is no way Ryder lets me continue as leader."

Skye looked into his eyes. "Chase, don't be ridiculous. You've always been a great leader. Every pup here adores you, looks up to you. That's why Ryder chose you for the job. And he has enough faith in you to allow you to continue doing that job. And the Mayor will forgive you. I promise." "You promise?" I'll make sure of it."

Skye left a little later. While her words had helped, Chase was still certain that Ryder would revoke his leadership as soon as he got the chance. He might even kick Chase out of the Paw Patrol. Chase was exhausted, though. He let it wait until morning as he drifted off to sleep.

He woke up to Rubble's voice. "Chase, you have a call in the Lookout." "Okay", Chase yawned. Before going up the elevator, he saw that Hello, Adventure Bay! was on. He saw the headline "Mayor Goodway injured, to release a statement at noon."

_Oh, boy, _Chase thought, _what have I gotten myself into? When she releases that statement, everyone within 100 miles of here will know what I did._

Chase arrived at the top of the Lookout. He put the call he was receiving on the pup pad (it was from Ryder, of course) onto the big screen. "Hello, Chase." Ryder said from his hospital bed. "Hello, Ryder sir." "Chase, I asked the other pups to tell me about what you guys did today." _Oh,no, here it comes, _Chase thought. "They told me that you helped Mayor Goodway, and that it went pretty well."

Chase waited for a few seconds. "Is that _all _they told you?" "Yes. Was there anything else?" "Uh, no, sir. Nothing at all." _Why did I do that? _He asked himself. _Now the punishment will just be worse when the statement comes out._

"It seems like you're doing pretty well, then. Keep it up!" "Uh, yes, Ryder sir! Of course!" Ryder smiled and disappeared from the screen. _Why didn't the other pups tell him? _Chase thought. _Why didn't I tell him? What if they did tell him? What if this was a test? Oh, no._

He went back down, right to the other pups, who were now playing Pup Pup Boogie 2. "Guys, why didn't you tell Ryder?" "We didn't want you to get in trouble" Zuma answered. "But it will just make it worse when the Mayor tells everyone what happened!" "Maybe she won't." Said Marshall. But in his mind, Chase knew the Mayor would tell. How could she not?

Chase spent the next few hours sitting in his bed, thinking deeply. He was scared. Scared as he had ever been. He could lose his dream job for one small mistake. His dream job wasn't even being leader. It was being a member of the Paw Patrol. That was all he wanted now. He didn't care if he was grounded for a month. He just wanted to stay on the team.

Finally, 12:00 came. Chase dragged himself inside. There was no doubt Ryder was watching this. After a few minutes of waiting, a breaking news alert came onto the screen. "This just in, Adventure Bay mayor Goodway has released a statement concerning her injury. Quote: "I would like to address the residents of the greater Adventure Bay area about my recent injury. First, I would like to announce that the injury is a broken arm, and I will be out of Adventure Bay for a few days. I will continue my mayoral duties as soon as I return. Next, I would like to announce how I got my injury. I was rearranging my office, with the help of the Paw Patrol," _Here it comes. _Chase cringed. "when I lost my grip on a heavy table and fell onto the floor, breaking my arm. Thank you for the good wishes, Adventure Bay, I will return soon."

Chase was puzzled. Why would the mayor do this? He didn't deserve to be let off the hook. He was almost sad that she didn't tell. Now he had to carry a dirty secret around inside of him, or tell Ryder himself. Neither option seemed appealing.

**Since I feel you guys deserve it, I'm giving you two chapters in one day. Enjoy!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chase woke up the next day to another call. It was the hospital, and they told him that Ryder would probably be ready to leave that Saturday. The fire had been on Sunday. It was now Thursday.

Chase just wanted it to be over. He wanted Ryder to come back and be leader again so Chase could just be Chase and forget about what happened. But he still had two full days on the job. Maybe nothing would happen. Chase doubted it.

Chase woke up later than the other pups. He had had a rough night. When he got inside the Lookout, everyone was there, even Everest. They were having a Pup Pup Boogie tournament. Chase would have loved to join in, on any other day. But he was too emotionally and physically tired. So he just sat and watched.

(And now, finally, we leave Chase's point of view.)

Marshall tried to look like he was watching the tournament, but he couldn't stop thinking about Everest. It had been this way ever since she joined the team. He loved it when she hung out with the pups.

It was Marshall's turn. He was against Rocky. Skye started them off with a perky "Go!"

It started out good enough. Then, of course, came the tailspin. _Just hold it this once, _he thought,_ Everest is here. _

He was actually doing it at first. But then he lost his balance, as always. Marshall spun right into Rocky, who was also spinning, and they both ran right into Everest.

It was hard to untangle the knot they were in, but they did it. "Sorry, guys." Marshall apologized. "It's okay." Said Everest. "Yeah, it was kinda fun." Rocky chimed in. "Can we take a break now?" Rubble asked. "Watching you guys dance is making me tired." They chuckled and went outside.

(Rocky POV)

Rocky couldn't stop thinking about Everest. He had pretended like he didn't care, but his heart always jumped when she came over. For some reason, though, Rocky couldn't tell anyone. He thought he had her to himself, if she wanted him, because no other pup on the team seemed to have any interest. If they did, they didn't show it. Then again, Rocky didn't show it either.

Either way, Rocky decided it couldn't wait any longer. He would tell her tonight. Unbeknownst to him, Marshall had just decided the same thing.

(No POV)

Just when it seemed the Paw Patrol could have a peaceful day, there was an emergency. An avalanche had trapped skiers and snowboarders, notably Jake, at the Adventure Bay Ski Resort. (My name for Jake's mountain resort) So the pups set out. Chase hoped it would be better than the last emergency.

When the Paw Patrol arrived, they found it was worse than it sounded. There was not only an avalanche emergency, but a snow storm had knocked out power in the actual resort. So Chase sent Rocky to fix it and went with the rest of the pups to help the victims of the avalanche.

It wasn't easy to find them in the storm. When they did, they saw it was almost impossible to get to the snowboarders. Chase decided to go along with Marshall to find a route themselves.

(Chase and Marshall POV)

Chase and Marshall decided to go around, not over, the snow pile trapping the people on the mountain. They didn't want to send it rolling down the hill again. But the snow mountain was longer than they thought. Soon, the two pups were lost in the pine forest.

"Are we lost?" Marshall asked. "I, I mean, I don't think so." But Chase did think so. Even though they had been following a giant snow pile, they had somehow lost the trail. And things were about to get worse.

The pups heard a rumbling up the mountain. "Another avalanche!" Chase yelled. "Find cover!"

The second avalanche was upon them before they knew it. Chase found a cave. "C'mon, Marshall!"

Marshall tried. But before he could reach the cave, he was swallowed up by the snow flow.


	7. Chapter 7

The avalanche passed. But, when Chase went to find Marshall, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Marshall!" Chase called out, "MARSHALL!" He got no response.

Now, Chase was starting to panic. What would he do? He decided to go down the mountain.

About halfway down, Chase remembered the trapped people. He called Rubble and Everest and told them to get them out.

Chase continued to call out for Marshall, but the storm was drowning out his cries. Finally, he thought he heard a very faint "Chase!"

Chase went in the general direction of the sound. He heard it again, this time louder. It was definitely Marshall. Chase kept heading in that same direction, but after two or three more shouts, Marshall stopped talking.

Chase started running towards the place where he thought he heard the shouts. He came into a clearing in the forest, obviously plowed over by the avalanche. Looking around, Chase finally spotted Marshall.

He was lying on the ground, not moving. Chase ran over to him. "Marshall. Marshall, wake up! C'mon!" Chase could see that Marshall was still breathing, but only barely. He had been beaten up pretty bad by the tumble he took down the mountain.

What would he do? The mountain was too steep for a vehicle, the storm was too strong for an airlift. Chase had a little medical training, but he was in no way prepared enough to fix Marshall.

Then, Chase saw a snowboard laying on the ground and got an idea. He could slide himself and Marshall down the mountain.

Chase got the snowboard and strapped Marshall on. It looked like a bumpy ride to the bottom.

Stepping on the snowboard, Chase hesitated for a moment. _This is a stupid idea. I can never get us both down the mountain. But I guess I don't have a coice._

"Now or never" Chase spoke out loud. He pushed off and the snowboard immediately started speeding down the slope.

Chase had snowboarded before, but he didn't do it often and he had never done it with a passenger. The snowboard kept speeding up, but the storm had re-intensified and Chase could barely see three feet ahead of him. Dodging obstacles was getting harder and harder.

Chase was going so fast he couldn't believe it. And somehow, he hadn't hit anything yet. _How tall is this mountain?! _He thought.

Finally, Chase sensed the ground becoming flatter. He was now sliding on horizontal land. But he was still sliding.

Chase didn't know how to stop. Soon, the snow wouldn't be deep enough for the snowboard. There was only one thing to do.

Chase literally put his foot down. Feet, actually. With two paws hanging onto the board and two digging into the ground, the snowboard finally started slowing down. It seemed like forever to Chase, whose paws where now hurting bad, but the snowboard eventually came to a stop.

He called for a pup, any pup, to pick them up. It turned out to be Rocky.

The pups got Marshall to Katie's, who got him to a larger pet hospital in nearby Port Town. Rocky gave Chase the rundown on how the rescue turned out. "I was able to fix the power, and the rest of the pups dug a tunnel to get the snowboarders out. The storm died down, and there were no more avalanches. Everyone is fine."

The Paw Patrol returned to the Lookout one member shorter, two gone in all counting Ryder. Not until Chase lied down for bed did he realize something amazing.

_I just had my first successful rescue._

And with a smile on all their faces, the pups went to sleep.

**Still many more chapters to go. I hope you guys have liked it to this point.**


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Mayor Goodway came back to Adventure Bay. Chase knew he had to apologize, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he just waited outside of city hall for 30 minutes.

Eventually, Chase gathered up the courage to go inside. He went right to the Mayor's office. Opening the door, Chase spoke. "Uh, hello Mayor."

"Hello Chase." For a few long moments, Chase and the Mayor just sat there in really awkward silence. Finally, Chase broke the silence. "So, Mayor. Are you still mad at me?"

The Mayor looked up from her work. "Am I still angry? Chase, you broke my grandmother's old vase and my arm. Of course I'm still mad!"

"So, why didn't you tell the truth, then? Why didn't you just bust me and have Ryder kick me out of the Paw Patrol?"

The Mayor sighed. "I don't know, Chase. Maybe it was because a part of me knew you were right, about me calling for the Paw Patrol too often. Maybe it was because I know that you're great at your job and would usually never hurt a fly. But… I don't know."

Again, they sat in silence. After deciding there was nothing left to say but sorry, Chase apologized and let himself out. He didn't know what to think. Had the Mayor forgiven him? Why did she decide not to tell? Would he tell Ryder? He just didn't know.

(Rocky's POV)

Later that day, the pups went to see Marshall. When they arrived, Rocky realized how stupid he was. In all the chaos of the night before, he had forgotten to tell Everest how he really felt. _No harm done, I suppose. I'll just tell her tonight. _Rocky thought to himself.

The pups went to Marshall's room. As soon as they got there, they huddled around his bed, asking questions, saying how glad they were that he was okay, and so on. Rocky noticed that Everest was doing this more than the others. He took little note of it, though.

The pups stayed there for the whole day. There were no emergencies for once. They just stayed with Marshall and relaxed. When night came, and a nurse told the pups they should go, they decided to get a hotel room instead of going all the way back to Adventure Bay.

After hearing that Everest wanted to stay a little longer, Rocky did the same. This was his opportunity.

He went to find the snow pup. He followed her voice right to Marshall's room. He stopped outside the doorway and listened.

"I'm just so happy you're okay." Everest said to Marshall. "Yeah, you've been saying that all day." Marshall responded. Rocky peeked around the corner. Everest and Marshall just stared at each other.

Then, Marshall spoke. "Everest, I, I really like you." "I do too." She said back. "No, I mean like, _really _like." "I do too."

Rocky didn't see what happened next. He was already gone. He ran outside and kicked his truck. "Stupid!" He yelled, after making sure no one was around. "Why didn't I tell her sooner?! Now she likes Marshall. How- how could this happen? She was mine."

Rocky just stood there, with his head against his truck, for a few minutes. Eventually, Everest came outside. "Hey, Rocky." "Hey." He said back, without enthusiasm. With that, he got in his truck and drove to the hotel, not looking back.

He didn't want to think about the snow pup that was surely following him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Dang, time goes fast. Sorry I've forgotten about Chase and Skye, I'll try to balance it out more.**

The pups left the hotel first thing in the morning. Marshall wasn't the only decommissioned Paw Patrol member, and the other one was coming back to the lookout today.

Since Ryder had no other way to get home, the pups had to go and pick him up. So they did.

Rubble and Zuma went to the hospital with Marshall's ambulance to bring Ryder back, while the rest of the pups (minus Marshall, of course) set up Ryder's welcome home party.

When Ryder walked in the doors, almost everyone he knew was there. It was a full-fledged party. There was food, drinks, and fun. When the party was over, the pups presented Ryder with their own welcome home gift: a Paw Patrol necklace. He loved it.

They were able to video chat with Marshall before bed. Before putting the long day behind them, though, Skye and Chase had a chat.

"I'm glad it's over." Chase said. "Why? I thought this was your dream." Skye responded. "It was, and it still is, but the past week has been… dramatic. It was too much pressure. I'm not ready." "Have you told Ryder about what happened with Mayor Goodway?" Skye asked. "No, but I have apologized to the Mayor." Chase replied. "Are you going to tell Ryder?" "Why should I? He doesn't need to know. The past is the past, and the Mayor seems to be content with pretending it never happened." Skye looked him in the eyes. "Are you?"

Just then, Rocky walked by. "Goodnight, Rocky!" Skye said as he slowly dragged himself along. "Goodnight, Skye." He sighed. "Is something wrong?" Chase asked. Rocky looked up at them. _Look at them, _he thought, _such a happy couple, even if they say they aren't one. They were meant for each other. There is no competition for Skye._

"No." Rocky said as he continued toward his pup house. "Has Rocky seemed… sadder to you lately?" Skye asked Chase. "Yeah, he's been that way since he came to the hotel last night. I wonder what happened." "Well, goodnight, Chase." "Goodnight, Skye." The pups went to bed.

The next morning, Ryder woke up to a call on his pup pad. Just before he could answer it, though, a different call came, this one an emergency. It was Captain Turbot. "Hello, Ryder here." "Ryder, there were some very strong winds last night and my boat got blown into the shore. I've been trying to contact you since then, but I couldn't get any signal." "Don't worry, Cap'n, the Paw Patrol can help! Paw Patrol, to the Lookout!"

All the pups looked up. "Ryder needs us!" They all got to the Lookout as fast as they could, like always. Things were back to normal. Well, except for the fact that Ryder was on crutches.

After explaining the situation, Ryder told the pups how things would work while he was still recovering. "Since I still can't go out on rescues with you, I'll have to run the rescue from here. All of you have a camera on your hats or helmets. I'll watch the mission through those from here and give orders when they are needed. But, without any more waiting, Paw Patrol is on a roll!"

The pups went to the shoreline where Captain Turbot had wrecked his boat. The rescue was actually fairly simple. All it took was a few repairs and a push out to sea. This was by far not the most dramatic moment of the day. That would come later.

Rocky was laying down in his pup house. He wasn't in any mood to celebrate the successful rescue. He just couldn't stop thinking about his blown chance with Everest. But then, something snapped.

_Why should I just sit around here and mope? _Rocky thought. _Sure, they confessed their attraction for each other, but that doesn't always mean something. Why can't I still get her? This isn't over yet, Marshall._

So Rocky went to the pet hospital, where he knew both Marshall and Everest were, determined to get her "back".

Ryder was sitting in the Lookout, playing on his pup pad, when a call came through. It was an icon he hadn't seen in a long time. It was his mother.

"Hello, Zack." Zack was Ryder's first name. His mom was the only person who called him that. Of course, no one else really knew.

"Uh, hi, Mom. Why are you calling?" Ryder was very nervous. His mom barely ever called, and when she did, it was never good. Ryder didn't have a very good relationship with his mom. Sure, she was rich (and the one who funded the Paw Patrol), but she rarely used that money on Ryder. She only spent it on her ever-changing boyfriends.

"Well, I heard about your accident, and I wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"Really? That accident was almost a week ago."

"Well, that's not the only reason I'm calling. I have big news, Zack! Me and Jim (her latest boyfriend) are going on a cruise, and we want you to come with us!"

"What? What about the Paw Patrol? How long will we be gone?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Why not?"

"Because regardless of how long the cruise is, you are never going back to Adventure Bay."

**I saw that Ryder's full name is Zack Ryder Jr. on the Paw Patrol Wiki. There were no sources, so I have no idea if this is correct or not. But this is my story, and in this story, his first name is Zack. More soon. (Hopefully)**


	10. Chapter 10

"What?! Why?!" Ryder screamed into the phone. He didn't care.

"Zack, calm down. I am doing this for your safety. I can't stand to see you get hurt anymore."

"But this is the first time I've _ever _got hurt on the job. It won't happen again."

"You don't know that, Zack. And there is another reason. Over the past week, I've realized how much I have neglected you over your life. I want to repair our relationship."

_How do you repair something that never existed? _Ryder thought.

"But I don't want to leave, Mom. We can bond over the phone."

She sighed. "Zack, this decision wasn't easy to make, but now that it's made, it is final. No arguing!"

And she hung up.

(Rocky's POV)

When Rocky walked into the hospital, he was very pleased to see Everest sitting in the waiting room. "Hey, Everest." He said. "Oh, hi Rocky!" She said, as perky as ever. Perkier, even.

"Why are you out here?" Rocky asked. "The doctors said I should let Marshall get some rest." She responded. "Oh." "Why are you here, Rocky?"

Rocky tried to look shocked. "Can't a pup visit his friend in the hospital?" "Well, yeah. I don't know why I asked."

"Well, I guess I'll just wait with you, then." Rocky said as he laid down next to her. "Are you sure? They said he should be resting for a while."

"That's okay." Rocky smiled. It was better than okay.

(Ryder's POV)

After the call, Ryder just stared at the wall. He couldn't believe what was happening. Finally, after what he confirmed to be 20 minutes by looking at the clock, the full weight of the situation started to sink in.

_I will have to leave Adventure Bay. _He thought. _I will have to leave the Paw Patrol. I will have to leave Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Rocky, Skye, Zuma, Everest, the Mayor, Cap'n Turbot, Jake, and Katie. And there is nothing I can do about it._

As these thoughts raced through Ryder's head, he started to cry. _How could she do this?_

(Rocky's POV)

Rocky had a plan. Everest didn't know that he knew that Marshall had confessed his attraction for her. Rocky would simply do the same thing, forcing her to decide. Then all he had to do was make himself the more likable of the two.

In hindsight, it was a terrible plan. But at the time, it was brilliant.

After about 10 minutes of small talk, Rocky changed the subject.

"Everest, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Rocky?"

"Everest, I… I really like you. Like really like. Not just friend like."

A look of obvious discomfort spread over Everest's face.

"Oh… well… that's, that's, um, that is… ummm…"

"That is what, Everest?"

"Rocky, I like you too."

_Why would I say that? _Everest thought. _Now I have two boys chasing after me._

"Really! That's…. wow." Rocky couldn't believe it actually worked. Now he just had to get Marshall out of the picture…

Suddenly, they heard Ryder's voice. "Pups, to the Lookout." He sounded miserable. Every pup could tell something was terribly, terribly wrong.

(No POV)

The pups went to the Lookout, with Rocky and Everest listening while driving back to Adventure Bay. Marshall also listened in.

"Pups, I have very, very bad news."

"What is it Ryder?" They all said.

"Well… I'm going to be leaving Adventure Bay. And I won't be coming back."

All the air was sucked out of the room. Rubble and Everest drove off the road. The pups just stared, unable to speak.

Finally, Rubble spoke up. Well, more specifically, he panicked. "WHAAAAATTTTT?! YOU'RE GOING AWAY FOREVER? AND NOT COMING BACK? Oh my gosh… oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh….."

Ryder stroked his fur. "Calm down, Rubble. It will be okay."

"You're really leaving?" Chase asked, not without emotion.

"Yes."

"Why? What will happen to us? To the Paw Patrol? Will we ever see you again?"

"Slow down, Chase. I'm leaving because my mother says I am. We'll leave it at that. I don't know what will happen to you or the Paw Patrol. We'll just have to wait and see."


	11. Chapter 11

It didn't take long for word to spread. Soon, all of Adventure Bay had heard of Ryder's pending departure.

One day before it was time to leave, Ryder still wasn't sure about the Paw Patrol's future. He was still holding onto the hope that his mother would change her mind, but he saw it as unlikely. Either way, he needed to secure the future of the Paw Patrol. Or, at the very least, the future of the pups.

So here he was, in a meeting with the Mayor.

"So, Ryder," she said, "I can guess why you're here."

"Yes, Mayor Goodway. I need to know if the city can keep funding the Paw Patrol after I'm gone."

"I don't know how we can keep doing it when we never did it in the first place, Ryder. You know your mother is the one who funds the Paw Patrol."

"Yeah, I know, but can the city keep funding the patrol if my mom stops funding it? Because that is a real possibility."

"Oh…. I don't think so, Ryder. The city budget is already crunched."

_Oh no_. Ryder thought.

"Okay, Mayor, thanks."

The Mayor looked at him sadly. "No problem."

Ryder went back to the Lookout. He really doubted that his mom would keep funding the Paw Patrol without him there. The least he could do was chose a new leader.

He already knew who it would be. It was actually pretty easy to choose. Mayor Goodway had a kind heart, but she was in no way fit to lead the Paw Patrol. Especially when half of their emergencies came from her. Captain Turbot was, well, Captain Turbot. Mr. Porter was too old. Farmer Yumi wouldn't do it.

That left three candidates: Katie, Chase, and Jake.

Ryder respected Chase's leadership skills, but he knew that it would be too much for Chase to lead the team and do his job well.

He also thought Katie was completely capable, but he didn't want to put her in danger like he had been.

That left Jake. He was young, good with dogs, and friendly in general. He did have his resort, but that could be worked around.

So Ryder gave Jake a call, and he immediately accepted. It was bittersweet, at best.

*The next day*

Ten o'clock. That was when he was leaving.

Ryder took time to say goodbye to every pup.

"Goodbye, Chase." He said as he went down the line. "You've always been my right hand pup."

Chase looked at the ground. "Yeah, Ryder sir." He tried to smile when he looked up, but it looked more like he was about to cry. Which wasn't far from the truth.

Ryder gave him a hug.

"Marshall, you always know how to brighten someone's day. Keep smiling."

He tried.

"Rubble, your energy never runs out. You keep everyone going."

"I don't feel very energized right now, Ryder."

Ryder gave a sad smile and a hug.

"Skye, your pep is overwhelming, but it's impossible to not feel it. Don't let it fade."

"I won't, Ryder."

"Zuma, you can make anyone seem warm even in the coldest winter. You're a mobile beach. Don't let it flood."

"Sure, Ryder."

"Everest, I haven't known you for very long, but you make me feel like we've been friends forever."

"Thanks, Ryder."

"And Rocky, you're handiness and friendliness keep the team from falling apart. Don't let it come undone now."

"Don't worry, I won't."

"Good."

Then his mother arrived. There was one last piece of business to take care of.

Ryder approached Jake. "Jake, I, Zack Ryder Jr., hereby transfer the role of Leader of the Paw Patrol to you. You now have full control over everything involving the team."

"Thanks, Ryder."

Ryder then went over to Katie.

"Well, goodbye Katie."

Then, to Ryder's surprise, Katie gave him a hug.

"Goodbye, Ryder."

"Are you coming, Ryder?" His mother asked.

Ryder said his remaining goodbyes and headed towards the waiting limousine. He got in, closed the door, and the vehicle drove off.

After a few minutes, Jake approached Katie.

"Katie, I have no idea why Ryder thought that I was the best person to lead the Paw Patrol. You are clearly the better choice. Do you want the job?'

"What? I don't know, Jake. I'm sure Ryder had a good reason."

"Come on, Katie. I can't run the Paw Patrol. I have a resort to run."

"Then why'd you accept?"

"I couldn't say no, Katie. So, do you want to lead the Paw Patrol?"

"Sure, Jake."

"Great! So, uh, what was it that Ryder did? Oh, yeah. Katie, I hereby give you the job of Paw Patrol leader. Or something."

"Thanks, Jake."

(Ryder's POV)

Ryder looked out the window at Adventure Bay as it disappeared beyond the hills. When the last building was out of sight, Ryder couldn't help but shed a tear.

His mother said nothing.

(Chase's POV, later that night)

Chase couldn't help crying. He had a feeling that there wasn't a soul in or around the Lookout that hadn't shed a tear. Eventually, Skye came over and sat next to him. She said nothing.

Chase openly sobbed. His dignity, his pride, it was all meaningless right now. He just felt alone. Abandoned.

Eventually, Chase let a single, long howl into the night sky. Skye soon did the same, with the rest of the pups joining in to. All night, they mourned the loss of their leader.


End file.
